Mothra (1961)
Category:FilmsCategory: /Media | directed by = Ishirô Honda | written by = Shin'ichi Sekizawa | produced by = Tomoyuki Tanaka | music by = Yûji Koseki | cinematography = Hajime Koizumi | edited by = Kazuji Taira | distributed by = Toho Company, Ltd. | release date(s) = July 30th, 1961 Release date in Japan. | mpaa rating = | running time = 101 min. | country = | language = Japanese | budget = ¥200,000,000 Wiki Zilla; Mothra (1961 film); Infobox. | gross revenue = ¥281,250,000 ; Box office & business. | preceded by = | followed by = Godzilla vs. Mothra (1964) }} Mothra is a Japanese science fiction/fantasy film of the daikaiju ("giant monster") subgenre. In terms of continuity, it is part of the same shared universe as the greater Godzilla film series franchise. The movie was directed by famed Gojira director Ishirô Honda and was written by up-and-coming tokusatsu film screenwriter Shin'ichi Sekizawa. The movie was produced by Tomoyuki Tanaka of Toho Company, Ltd. and premiered in Japan on July 30th, 1961. It is the only film in the Shōwa period to spotlight the giant monster, Mosura (or Mothra), exclusively, though Mothra would appear in later Godzilla films and spawn a remake trilogy in the 1990s. Plot Cast Appearances * * * * * Notes * Copyright holder: 1961, Toho Company, Ltd. (東宝株式会社) * The Japanese title for this film, as well as its lead monster is Mosura (モスラ). The original full title of the movie is Daikaijû Masura ("Giant Monster Mothra"). * Taglines for this film include, "Mightiest Monster in All Creation!", and "Ravishing a Universe for Love!" * Mothra premiered in the United States on May 10th, 1962. It's New York City premiere was on July 11th. It was released in the United States through Columbia Pictures. * Mothra earned ¥9,000,000 in admissions in Japan. ; Box office & business. * Mothra is one of many such films to get the low-budget VHS home video transfer courtesy of GoodTimes Home Video in 2000. * Mothra was included on the Sci-Fi: Toho Collection DVD collection, which was released on August 18th, 2009. * Mothra was included on the Sci-Fi Creature Classics DVD set, which was released by Mill Creek Entertainment on February 25th, 2014. * Mothra is Ishirô Honda's twenty-ninth feature film as a director. It is his fourth film in the Godzilla film series. * Actor Jerry Itô is credited as Jerî Itô in this film. In the U.S. release of Mothra, he is credited as "Jelly Ito". * Forty-three years later, actor Hiroshi Koizumi will reprise the role of Doctor Shin'ichi Chûjô in the 2003 film Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S., which will be his final work in the film series. * First appearance of Mosura. She will appear in seven more Godzilla films during the Shōwa period before getting her own reboot in the 1990s Rebirth of Mothra trilogy during the Heisei period. * Mosura is one of the few kaiju during the Shōwa period that is female. * Yumi and Emi Itô, who play the twin fairies are a singing group called The Peanuts. * The scene where Senichiro Fukuda makes the sign of the cross was deleted in the U.S. release of the film. Another scene excised from the U.S. cut showed priests in prayer. * The scene where Shin'ichi Chûjô is attacked by the plant creature is also used as a flashback scene in the 2003 film Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S.. Recommendations See also * Mothra * Mothra media * Mothra images * Mothra characters * Mothra miscellaneous External Links * * * Mothra at Wikipedia * * * * * Mothra at the Godzilla Wiki References ---- Category:1960s/Films Category:1961/Films Category:July, 1961/Films Category:Toho Company, Ltd. Category:Remade Category:Theatrically released films Category:M/Films Category:Ishiro Honda/Director Category:Shin'ichi Sekizawa/Writer Category:Tomoyuki Tanaka/Producer Category:Yuji Koseki/Composer Category:Hajime Koizumi/Cinematographer Category:Kazuji Taira/Editor